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My nuts are noticably shrinking, so much so that I am beginning to become self conscious about them. It's like walking out of Macy's with a nice fancy bag, but nothing in it.

I am injecting 1 ml of Testosterone Cyponate every 10-14 days for the last 3 months.

For those of you that ahve been on replacement therapy is there anything I can do to stop this? Someone mentioned using Estrogen on top of the Test but I am not sure my doc would be down with prescribing me estrogen.

Ideas?

Also, If my Test levels are in normal range this next visit will the doc take me off the test immediately? Or am I in a vicious cycle of having to take the Test indefinitly?

Well, you're going to get the I told you so from me! LOL. Testicular shrinkage is a common side effect of steroid (testosterone) use in men. Why do you think bodybuilders have tiny balls? Another possible side effect is breast growth. Hopefully you haven't had that yet. The ball shrinkage is because the testosterone you are taking is causing your body to not need to produce its own. Breast growth comes from the extra testosterone being converted into an estrogen like hormone through I process I'm not quite sure of, but know it happens.

Talk to your doc ASAP Wumpster! I don't want you not to be able to fill out those briefs at AMG next year!

Well, you're going to get the I told you so from me! LOL. Testicular shrinkage is a common side effect of steroid (testosterone) use in men. Why do you think bodybuilders have tiny balls? Another possible side effect is breast growth. Hopefully you haven't had that yet. The ball shrinkage is because the testosterone you are taking is causing your body to not need to produce its own. Breast growth comes from the extra testosterone being converted into an estrogen like hormone through I process I'm not quite sure of, but know it happens.

odyssey

I understand WHY it happens, I'm asking if there is anything I can do or take to stem the shrinkage. For instance, I added Saw Palmetto to prevent hair loss, is there anything I can add to help the balls? All my searches turn up nada.

No titties, my pushups are keeping that area nice and hard.

JG- Good to know they will return to normal size once I stop, hopefully after a few months I can start titrating the testo down.

I understand WHY it happens, I'm asking if there is anything I can do or take to stem the shrinkage. For instance, I added Saw Palmetto to prevent hair loss, is there anything I can add to help the balls? All my searches turn up nada.

No titties, my pushups are keeping that area nice and hard.

JG- Good to know they will return to normal size once I stop, hopefully after a few months I can start titrating the testo down.

-W

Pushups will indeed keep your pec's nice and hard, but won't keep your male mammary glands from growing.I suffered from gynecomastia during puberty, had them surgically removed at the age of 17....cringe from the thought of male titties

There are some suggestions in this thread on another message board. Make sure you speak to your doctor before you try anything. And google "shrinking testicles" - with the quote marks - and you'll get plenty of hits.

Estrogen is the last thing you want to take. It's excessive estrogen that is causing your problem in the first place.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I understand WHY it happens, I'm asking if there is anything I can do or take to stem the shrinkage. For instance, I added Saw Palmetto to prevent hair loss, is there anything I can add to help the balls? All my searches turn up nada.

No titties, my pushups are keeping that area nice and hard.

JG- Good to know they will return to normal size once I stop, hopefully after a few months I can start titrating the testo down.

-W

Jeez, do you think I have any idea. You of anyone here should know that I don't have any balls to shrink from my usage of testosterone, lol. But yeah, I agree with Ann. Estrogen is really not the way to go. That will most likely make the problem worse, not to mention increase your chances of man titty growth. I still say talk to your doc about this, he or she will probably have some good advice. I've never really been one for getting medical opinions over the 'net.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Accord to Harold M. Reed, aka "The Penis Doctor", silicon injections are not the way to go:

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SILICONE INJECTIONS IN MY SCROTUM DUE TO YEARS OF STEROID USE LEAVING MY TESTICLES SOMEWHAT ATROPHIED AND A LOT OF EMPTY SCROTAL SPACE. IS THIS A SERVICE YOU WOULD PERFORM?HEAR: REFERRAL FROM INTERNET SITE James

October 24, 2010

Good afternoon James,

Please review the attached. Please do not opt for silicone injections into your scrotum as this will at best create a fluff bag, may injure your testes even further. Also look at silicone injection disasters http://penisdoctor.com/silicone.htm (several photos).

Consider insertion of soft silicone ovoids which can be almost any size you wish. I will make some recommendations of course.

If you believe I am the doctor for you, please initiate a consultation with our office by sending us your name, address, and phone number in an envelope along with a check for 250 and you will receive a call ASAP. Weíll have a lot to talk about.

There is a lot of information we need to put out to you as well as address all of your concerns, including scheduling and followup care. Anticipate we will show you every courtesy.

While the shrinking balls are unfortunate, are you otherwise happy with the effects of the testosterone? Maybe its a side effect you make peace with until perhaps the time you don't need the testosterone and your balls kick into action again. if you get good wood and the balls still feel good, isn't that still AOK?

I read the letter about testicle implants. That seems pretty cool if one were to loose one or two, but how would they do that if someone already has two tiny balls. Wouldn't it start to feel or look a bit mutant? Not that it can't be natural. A guy in my college had three nuts. He was legendary among the ladies cause he was also well hung, and rich to boot.

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ďFrom each, according to his ability; to each, according to his needĒ 1875 K Marx

While the shrinking balls are unfortunate, are you otherwise happy with the effects of the testosterone?

The shrinking balls are definitly not a deal killer. I am thoroughly pleased with the upside of testo replacement, such as the energy, etc...

The testicle implants are a "Hell no" and will never, ever consider that.

The ball size is not a big deal at this point, but they are noticably smaller so I want to nip it in the bud if possible, although I doubt it is even noticable to anyone else (we are our own worst critic).

As far as the titties that WOULD be a deal killer, I would definitly stop the therapy if I thought I was getting growing knockers.

-Will

PS @Matty- thanks for your comforting raisin post. I can always count on you to cheer me up.

While the shrinking balls are unfortunate, are you otherwise happy with the effects of the testosterone? Maybe its a side effect you make peace with until perhaps the time you don't need the testosterone and your balls kick into action again. if you get good wood and the balls still feel good, isn't that still AOK?

I read the letter about testicle implants. That seems pretty cool if one were to loose one or two, but how would they do that if someone already has two tiny balls. Wouldn't it start to feel or look a bit mutant? Not that it can't be natural. A guy in my college had three nuts. He was legendary among the ladies cause he was also well hung, and rich to boot.

Yeah, I agree. I can't imagine they would use those silicone testicle implants on someone with two already existent balls, even if they were on the smallish side. They do use them to replace testicles that have to be removed, or in the case of us transguys, to create testicles when we have bottom surgery. But if you put a ball where there already is one, that just would be weird!

Is this drop in testosterone related to HIV or a medication side effect?

That's the golden question. I still cannot get my doctor to commit to saying HIV caused my low T. She says there are no relaible studies indicating such. My level was so low that she believes it was an issue prior to being diagnosed. The main concern with her was the effects Low T + Truvada would have on my bones, thus she placed me on replacement therapy, secondary to that was the fatigue I was experiencing.

That's the golden question. I still cannot get my doctor to commit to saying HIV caused my low T. She says there are no relaible studies indicating such. My level was so low that she believes it was an issue prior to being diagnosed. The main concern with her was the effects Low T + Truvada would have on my bones, thus she placed me on replacement therapy, secondary to that was the fatigue I was experiencing.

Will,With our use of testosterone injections and now even the implants, we suffer from shrinking balls also!To keep ours normal size, we use Pregnyl.This comes in two ampules, one of the pregnyl and the other is a solvent to make 1ml.(Each ampule lasts about a month.)I load 5 of the 1ml syringes with the pregnyl and inject 3 units daily sub-Q. Yes I reuse the syringes until they are empty and never had an issue, as loading each with only 3 units is not practical. The last injection can have a dull needle! (keep refrigerated)Not sure which country my partner uses to purchase the stuff, but it works for the BB balls.

This is not a suggestion or advice for anyone, I am only stating what we do with our doctor's approval.

Will,With our use of testosterone injections and now even the implants, we suffer from shrinking balls also!To keep ours normal size, we use Pregnyl.This comes in two ampules, one of the pregnyl and the other is a solvent to make 1ml.(Each ampule lasts about a month.)I load 5 of the 1ml syringes with the pregnyl and inject 3 units daily sub-Q. Yes I reuse the syringes until they are empty and never had an issue, as loading each with only 3 units is not practical. The last injection can have a dull needle! (keep refrigerated)Not sure which country my partner uses to purchase the stuff, but it works for the BB balls.

This is not a suggestion or advice for anyone, I am only stating what we do with our doctor's approval.

"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."

Re the male boobs side-effect, I've read it is primarily caused by coming off T too fast. I was contemplating trying steroids for vanity many years ago and bought a book called something like "The Steroid Bible." It warned against coming off testosterone too fast. If you do so, your body is effectively void of testosterone until your gonads can ramp up production again... which can take weeks. In the meantime, you begin to develop female characteristics.... the male boobs. I seem to remember that you should take a full six weeks to "cycle down" off steroids. It's a rapid climb up and a gradual descent back down.

Did you get a second opinion before starting testosterone? I would guess your nuts are shrinking because they were functional before... that is producing testosterone. They shrink because they no longer need to produce it. You're injecting all you need so they shut down. If your T was low, I would think the dose injected should be calibrated to bring it up to normal levels and not more.

I would do some reading on this. Given steroids have been used for nearly forty years, there's plenty of written documentation available.

Did you get a second opinion before starting testosterone? If your T was low, I would think the dose injected should be calibrated to bring it up to normal levels and not more.

No second opinion. My T level checked at 32 (where, if I recall correctly, 250 is the low end of normal), I was placed on gel for 6 months, it rose to 40ish, was switched to patches for 6 or so months where I rose to 71. Doc switched me to Injections and I have not had a reading yet (get that next week).

Willy When i said it seems to be something new everyday i meant that i discover new things about this virus every day. I hear about a new side effect or something each day it seems. And now i discover shrinking balls! Whats next?

I guess since its making your little willy bigger is a positive trade off to the shrinking balls. God giveth a little :-)

ok ok. I will be 43 next month, which makes me 2 years younger than you...2 very virile years younger might I add.

-W

Willy is freakin' hot, so who cares how old he is? I'm only 24 but I'd go out with him. He's good looking, has a great personality, and is sweet and genuine. And as he says, he's younger than you old queens . Rock on Wumpster!

Firstoff I feel for any person suffering from low testosterone. Personally I feel that it is hard enough to age gracefully without other factors robbing you not only of your appearance, but also your self confidence. I am new to all of this but I can only hope that I will be loved enough and love myself enough that I can accept whatever changes are in store for me not only as I age, but as I age as an HIV poz guy.

On a side note this post really turns my stomach. I really love all of you guys and I am eternally grateful for all of the support and advice I have found on this website. I was looking forward to the AMG gathering in SEA, but to be honest I don't allow drama into my personal life so why would I continue coming to a site where it's becoming less and less about getting positive support and more like mudslinging? I get that if this site was only medical advice and straight forward support that it would become boring to most, and I also understand that several of you guys have been here so long that you feel comfortable saying almost anything to one another.

I dunno I think I would enjoy this site more as a guest looking in and reading about this disease that I stare in the eyes everyday that I wake. I think because I have now gotten to know Will personally that I am defensive about him, and ofcourse I can only imagine that so many of you have the same relationships and feel and act the same way. I just hope that I never get to the point where I make "files" on anyone, much less people that I consider my friends. This site should be enjoyable, and quite frankly I think for me the enjoyment level has gone for now. I'm going to look for some active groups here in Ft Lauderdale and maybe some IRL support groups for the next phase of my diagnosis acceptance.

You guys are totally awesome and inspire me to live a long, healthy and full life... yes even you Miss P! Here's to a wonderful and peaceful 2011!

I'd ignore the mudslinging. It kinda comes with the territory and probably goes on in real life support groups. I'd also take Ms. P's comments in jest. Having met him twice, I can tell you that he is a gentlemen.

Oh jesus, what a bunch of panty wetters -- La Wumpette and I PM each other daily and have done so for a year. I'm just giving her some creative ribbing. Some of you need to grow a pair of balls (larger than Wumpy's, which assuredly will return to their previous state if it's anything like when I went on and off testosterone shots myself years ago).

Frankly I've probably given Wumpy more personal support about the ins and outs of testosterone shots via private message than the rest of you will in this thread.

As far as keeping "files" on fellow members that was a joke -- do you honestly think I sit and make screen caps of the lame manhunt profiles of you girls, when I could be utilizing that time for masturbation and porn torrenting?

Lak, seriously? Some heads in here take everything too literally (I guess I would call them poz forums fundamentalists). Feels like this place has become a gigantic eggshell where you have to mind your every step, and watch every word you say, as there is a high chance that someone's sensibilities are going to get hurt (or, G_d forbid, that someone will start screaming "bully" or something else). To be frank it gets a little tiresome.

Very disappointed and feeling like I should be singing my own swan song.

« Last Edit: December 27, 2010, 10:17:26 PM by Rev. Moon »

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"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."

Had my results today. Doc made me drop trou since I was freaking out over my balls. She proceeded to fondle my jewels and said they are normal size and said something about falling within average size range (I didn't know there was an average size range for testicles).

She refused to even entertain the idea of prescribing anything for my small balls, she indicated that if at some time in the future they fall below clinically average size we will discuss what to do. She's ok with taking Saw Palmetto to prevent any potential hair loss but was noncommittal on the efficacy of such.

With that being said, my testo is still low at 113 (although a far cry from where I started). She directed me to double the dosage to 2ml injected every 10-14 days. I'm sort of averse to doing that. But she said the plan is to get me into normal range in an attempt to reset the Testosterone levels and then start pulling back to see if my body can start making it again.

She said that yes, hopefully I will be able to stop replacement therapy at some point. She also confirmed that the testicles will return to "my normal size" once I am able to get off the injections.

If your balls are within the average range now that they've shrank, I can only imagine what range they were in before. Hmm... drooling a little just thinking about it, lol. Too bad you didn't have a hot guy for a doc to fondle your boys for you

Is this drop in testosterone related to HIV or a medication side effect?

You know I was just considering that myself, as I have noticed a shrinkage, the writer in me was considering a novel where in the future geneticists, were actively using medication to achieve this effect, but then I digress.

Had my results today. Doc made me drop trou since I was freaking out over my balls. She proceeded to fondle my jewels and said they are normal size and said something about falling within average size range (I didn't know there was an average size range for testicles).

-The Wump

Well, that's just one woman's opinion. Perhaps at the next AMG you could let everyone decide!

I believe that situations like the one mentioned are the reason we invented the phrase "Come having had."

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"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Meh, quite yer whining and just go work out with free weights at the gym. That will build your testosterone levels fast. Let's make a deal, how's about we trade a couple hundred nanograms of my testosterone for some cd4's of yours?

Private pics. Give me a break you perv. Why do you need to see his nuts. He said they shrunk. So thats that. You seeing pics will change nothing. Your not a doctor just another gay pervert[/quot

Resurrectingcting a thread to make a personal attack is so declasse. Start a new thread if you must do so! If you think this is a huge perv comment, you're bound to have a bumpy ride and better hold on to your girdle.

"Life in Lubbock, Texas, taught me two things: One is that God loves you and you're going to burn in hell. The other is that sex is the most awful, filthy thing on earth and you should save it for someone you love." - Butch Hancock, Musician, The Flatlanders